Archiving Technical Theater History

The Prague Quadrennial event takes place every four years in the Czech Republic in the city of Prague. 

This year’s edition will be from June 6th through June 16th, 2019

The second event is Stage Set and Scenery. This event takes place biannually in June in Berlin, Germany. 

The dates this year are June 18th to the 20th, 2019.

Both these events gather participants from around the world

I hope you check them out.  

Kino Alvarez has been an Audio Engineer for the last 8+ years, and he comes with an immense working knowledge relating to sound design, lighting design and audio engineering.

The majority of his experience came from working at Queen’s Hall as an audio technician, which afforded him the opportunity to hone his skills in live and theatre entertainment settings. He has also free-lanced as an audio engineer for numerous organizations; Wiluvbeats Studios, Samsara The Band, Network Riddim Rapso Band, LALO Sound Systems and Digital Sounds Solutions to name a few. In addition to this, he is the in-house sound designer/audio engineer for The International School of Port of Spain.

Kino also functions as the Managing Director of Tech Design 360 Limited; A group of young, innovative designers and engineers who specialize in different facets of scenery, lighting and sound design, with their main goal being to bridge the gap between new, upcoming industry technicians and the wider public, as it relates to their field.

Sound Better Profile:  Kino Alvarez

Linkedin: Kino Alvarez

Facebook: Kino Alvarez

Born in the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Alroy is a 25-year-old third year student of the University of Trinidad and Tobago, currently enrolled in the Academy for Performing Arts(APA), specializing in the Theatre Design and Production program. 

Before coming to Trinidad, Alroy has been involved in productions mainly through Houses of Worship. At his home church in St. Vincent, Alroy served in the capacity of FOH Audio Engineer since 2012. Transition into a new facility and through production upgrades, his skills have expanded and allowed him to delve into lighting programming and operating as well. 

In September of 2016, his acceptance into the APA was a bold step and was made to further his technical knowledge and skills. Since then, he has been able to get exposure and experience in professional larger-scale productions both inside and outside of the APA. This has also introduced him into the field of Stage Production Management, which can now be considered as my primary focus. 

Facebook: Alroy Harry Engineering

Hello Everyone and welcome to this latest episode of the podcast. 

I wish to extend a big thank-you to you the listener who has taken their time to enjoy the various interviews that have been presented. I am grateful and humbled by your support. 

I am also grateful for those of you who have also become part of the ATTH family through the Facebook Group. It has grown so far beyond my expectations. Your thoughts, words and energy help keep me motivated to bring you the best content I can. 

Often, I find great motivation in other people’s words. Today’s quote comes from none other than Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. He said 

“Success isn’t always about ‘Greatness’, it’s about consistency. Consistent, hard work gains success. Greatness will come.”

Whatever contribution I can make or have made, be it great or small, I will continue to keep bringing it.   

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing with you a series of Theatre design And Production student interviews from my school here at the University of Trinidad and Tobago’s Academy for the Performing Arts.

The guest this week is Ms. Salema West 

Salema studies Theatre Production & Design at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. Her focus is Scenic and Costume Design. Salema is in her last year here at the school and is looking forward to heading out and creating her own art. She has grown much since she started and it has been great to see Salema become so confident. Her dream jobs would be working for Cirque du Soleil, Disney and or Nickelodeon.

So without further ado, Ms. Salema West. 

Megan got her start in Trinidad's alternative music scene at the age of 14 playing bass in the hard rock band "Incert Coin" and has since performed in many bands over the years. In 2010, she enrolled in and completed the "Digital Media Studies- Music Technology" program at UTT. and upon finishing the program, she went on to peruse her BFA in Performing Arts with focus on Theater design and production. 

Over her years in the field of music and theater in Trinidad, Megan has worked as a live mix engineer and studio vocal and music producer at Random Design Studios, producing works for the corporate market, the local alternative music circuit and her own material as a producer/ singer/ songwriter. She has also produced sound and lighting designs for many productions, including "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at the Trinidad Theater Workshop and "The Wiz" at Queens Hall, directed by Mervyn de Goeas. 

In 2015, Megan was hired by Disney Cruise Line. She held the position of Audio Technician in the Walt Disney Theater, which showcases world class Broadway style productions of Disney Musicals including "Tangled the Musical" and the award winning "Disney Dreams, An Enchanted Classic". Notably, Megan was also on the technical team for the installation of “Frozen- A Musical Spectacular. 

Working for Disney Cruise Line has afforded Megan the opportunity to network with professionals from all parts of the world and travel to countries such as Spain, France, Italy, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom. 

Megan has recently released her latest single “Monsters” with the theme of female empowerment attached to the visuals. Currently Megan is perusing her Masters in Arts and Culture Management in Rome, Italy and hopes that her passion for music, technology and digital media will continue to take her all over the world. Her goal is to eventually return home to Trinidad equipped with the tools necessary to be an active force in the revolution of the arts. 

ABY COHEN is a Scenographer and curator, working for theatre, cinema and exhibition. GOLDEN TRIGA awarded at Prague Quadrennial in 2011 for her exhibition and curatorial project for the Brazilian National Exhibition (Countries+ Regions Exhibition). Invited by the PQ2015 artistic director, Sodja Lotker, she became the first Brazilian PQ’ international curator, in 2015, for SHARED SPACE/ POLITICS. Under the role as PQ2015 curator, she created a special project, the occupation-installation-performance NO MAN’S LAND, at Prague Crossroads. Aby started working in the theatre, as a set designer, with director Antunes Filho in 1992. Since then she has developed projects in Brazil and abroad (USA, Portugal, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Taiwan and Suriname). Curator and designer for the visual identity of ESPAÇO BRASIL, celebrating the Brazilian year in Portugal 2012/13. She received other important international awards, such as the IDCA - International Communication Design Awards in 2013, for the MAX-MIX BRASIL exhibition project, for Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam, 2012/2015. 

Her most recent projects are focused on the possibilities of creating, exhibiting and performing scenography: DESENHOS de CENA #1, SESC São Paulo/2016 and, DESENHOS de CENA #2: WSDesign Playground Project, Taiwan, 2017, DESENHOS de CENA #3: INTERSECTIONS – artistic residence performance project ongoing in Brazil, Wales and Scotland during 2018 and 2019. Ph.D. in Performance Design at ECA/USP, where she had been lecturing Performance Design for 2 years (2016-2018). Currently Head of MA Set and Costume Design at Fine Arts Faculty of Sao Paulo (Belas Artes). Former Vice-President of OISTAT 2013-2017 

www.abycohen.com

Sean Crowley has worked across the design spectrum in film, opera, theatre and television. He has been Wales’ most prolific theatre designer over the past 11 years, designing over 150 productions for companies across Wales, the UK and Europe. Sean became Head of Design at RWCMD in 1999 and is also the College’s Director of Drama.

Sean is the Chair of the Society of British Theatre Designers and was Project Leader for World Stage Design, held at the College in September 2013. He has been a member of the Linbury Prize committee since 2002, and was Chair of the Association of Theatre Design Courses UK for nine years.

In 2007, Sean was Project Leader and Co-Designer for the Prague Quadrennial Scenofest – an international festival of design and performance attracting some 30,000 visitors with over 5000 active participants. Sean was made an Honorary Fellow of the College in July 2007 and was appointed as an Associate Director at the Torch Theatre in 2010. In March 2011, he was the Exhibition Designer for the Society of British Theatre Designers national exhibition, Transformation & Revelation. As the Project Leader for World Stage Design 2013 he helped bring 13,000 exhibitors, practitioners and visitors to Cardiff.

Sean Crowley has worked across the design spectrum in film, opera, theatre and television. He has been Wales’ most prolific theatre designer over the past 11 years, designing over 150 productions for companies across Wales, the UK and Europe. Sean became Head of Design at RWCMD in 1999 and is also the College’s Director of Drama.

Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama : https://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/

Society of British Theatre Designers : http://www.theatredesign.org.uk/about/sbtd-committee/

Here is part 2 of my series of interviews with many of the young designers who presented their work at the young designers forum this year at USITT.  You all did a fantastic job.  Your work is inspiring and I wish you nothing but the best.

Vanessa J Lopez - Costume Technician, Crafts Artisan / https://vanessajlopez.com/

Olivia Deluca - Lighting Designer / https://www.delucalighting.com/

Jeremy Smith - Scenic Designer / https://jeremysmithstudio.com/

Brandon Reed - Sound Designer / https://www.brandonreedsounddesign.com/

Becca Johnson - Scenic Designer / https://www.beccajohnsondesign.com/

Katy Fetrow - Designer /  https://www.katyfetrow.com/

Sasha Schwartz - Scenic Designer, Scenic Artist /  https://www.sashaschwartzscenic.com/

Madison Mclain - MakeUp, Fx Artist and Wig Maker / https://www.madisonmclain.com/

Jelena Andzic - Set Designer, Artist / https://www.jelenaandzic.com/ 

Alice Trent - Lighting & Projection Design /  https://www.alicetrentlighting.com/

Danielle Soldat - Costume Technician / https://www.daniellesoldat.com/

This is a series of short interviews with the young designers who brought their work to USITT and were part of the Young Designer Forum.

In this episode:

Erin Reed - Costume Designer / https://www.ereedcostumedesign.com/

Jenn Bobo - Prop Artisan & Scenic Designer / https://www.jbbdesigner.com/

Qier Luo - Lighting Designer / https://www.qierluo.com/

Izzy Hines - Scenic Designer / https://www.izzyhines.com

Natalie Kandra - Technical Direction & Scenic Carpentry 

Carolyn M Walker - Costume Technology & Shop Management / https://www.carolynmariewalker.com/

Talbot Jenkins - Costume Design / https://talbotjenkins.wixsite.com/talbotjenkins

Catie Blencowe - Lighting Design / https://www.cbdesignsltd.com/

Kelli Harod - Scenic Design / https://www.kelliharrod.com/

Aaron Curry - Lighting Designer / https://www.aaroncurrydesigns.com/

Thank you to everyone for participating.  

This episode was recorded form the main temple hall of the Scottish Rite Temple of Louisville, Kentucky.  I had the opportunity to come along with author and artist Wendy Rae Waszut-Barrett and watch her work documenting the various drops currently stored there.  I also had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Terry Bowman, Deputy of the Supreme Council in Kentucky, Lighting Technician Mr. Tom Irwin and finally Stagehand Mr. Stephen Lay.  

Recorded: Wednesday March 20, 2019.